


I Know You.

by MuseMusing



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Kissing At First, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Caring for an injured Percy, Cuddling, Emotional Abuse, Eventual Romance, Eventual relationship, F/M, Goat Grover, I liked Luke too I swear, I love Reyna too, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Luke Bashing, M/M, Physical Abuse, Piper bashing, Piper is one of my least favourites but I don't hate her, Reyna Bashing, Seer Rachel, Shapeshifters - Freeform, Vampire Bianca, Vampire Nico di Angelo, fear of the dark, human will, luke is seventeen, maybe eventual smut, talk of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-07-16 22:10:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7286578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuseMusing/pseuds/MuseMusing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the re-write for We Meet Again.<br/>In a world where shapeshifters and other supernatural beings exist, Percy is part of it. We see new people he meets and why his stepfather haunts his dreams while living with him. The usually sassy protagonist has been turned into a timid, submissive creature. <br/>Characters are -not- mine and those rights go to Rick Riordan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. He Hates The Dark.

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter does feature physical abuse. Where the abuse is is marked with Italics. Typically only for a few paragraphs or so, but if you are triggered by this, please do not read. If you do, you know when you can skip past it.   
> Provided I get another chapter written, I will either update this or Our New Lives on Tuesday, or maybe A New World. I am also in the middle of planning a one-shot of nothing but sex for Will and Nico (as promised to someone) and of planning a new alternate universe with Eren and them from Attack on Titan.   
> But for now, review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! (I did not like how I wrote the other - too fast-paced I guess.)

* * *

 

Percy Jackson’s week started off worse than it usually did. It was something he hadn’t been expecting and for something as low as taking an extra piece of toast when his mother had said he could.

    But allow Percy to take you to the beginning of the week.

    It was a Monday, right about five forty-five in the morning when he roused from his sleep as his alarm clock chimed and then beeped obnoxiously. He swiped at it groggily before he got up. He stretched out with a groan before a massive yawn had tears gathering along his lash line. He wiped at his eyes absently, peeling his eyelids open and rubbing away the crust from the inner corners of his eyes.

    Percy stumbled out of bed after disentangling the sheets from his legs, plaid pajama pants crooked as they hung low at his waist. He stumbled over to the bed on the other side of the bedroom and he shook his younger brother, Tyson, awake.

    Tyson was actually his half-brother and he’d been dumped on their doorstep one day with a note taped to his chest. It included his date of birth, thankfully, so they didn’t have to guess. Tyson had been left by their father and said that the mother had been deemed mentally unstable and therefore unfit to care for a child. Their father didn’t want him, but didn’t want Tyson to be put into an orphanage. Percy’s mother, Sally, didn’t want that either and didn’t have the heart to turn Tyson away. She was afraid he would be bouncing around from foster home to foster home, or worse, he would get put into one where the household was abusive.

     Tyson whined and rolled over, clutching a white horse with a rainbow mane and tail to his chest. Tyson didn’t know that he was left on their doorstep as he’d only been nearly a year old.

    He was only eight now while Percy himself was seventeen. Tyson just assumed maybe he looked like Percy’s mother more, since they looked nothing alike. Tyson had a mop of brown hair that was a rat’s nest and large brown eyes that reminded Percy of a newborn calf who was innocent to any dark knowledge of the world. Percy had windswept black inky hair and bright viridian eyes.

    Percy shook Tyson again, who snored in response.

    Rolling his eyes playfully, Percy grabbed his stuff from the closet at the foot of Tyson’s bed. He stalked out of their bedroom and headed down the hall to the left to the bathroom at the end. Percy changed into a pair of faded blue jeans, white socks and a green t-shirt with a grey jacket. He wet his hands before running them through his awful bed head, trying to tame it just a little since it was in the middle of defying gravity. After that he brushed his teeth and went to go and try waking up Tyson again.

    His mother was already waking up Tyson after picking out clothes for him and laying them at the end of Tyson’s bed neatly. She was in a dress, her best high heels, hair curled loosely, and makeup done. She worked in a publishing agency and in her free time she worked on her own novel.

    “Good morning, Mom,” Percy greeted her warmly with a smile. 

    She turned to face him, smiling back to him and something in Percy eased and settled. “Good morning, honey. How’d you rest?” 

    “Pretty decently. Starving, though.” 

    “I have to leave in a few minutes, I just came to check on Tyson. I did manage to make breakfast. It’s on the kitchen table, sweetheart.”

    “Mmn. Time to eat. I’ll make sure Tyson gets up.” Percy gave a salute before making a dash towards the kitchen, aromas filtering through his nose. He smelled bacon, sausage, eggs and toast.

From where Percy exited the hall, their front door was to the right. Their living room was sectioned off by carpeted flooring, a little ways from the front door. To the left was the kitchen, breakfast bar countertop full of little knickknacks here and there. On the opposite wall was the kitchen table, set for two. Between the kitchen and living room was a closed bedroom door, where Percy’s mother and stepfather slept.

    There were plates, condiments and silverware already occupying the table, Percy grabbing a plate and a fork. 

    He loaded his plate with a bit of everything: a couple spoonfuls of eggs, two pieces of bacon and sausage, and a piece of toast. He stirred ketchup into his scrambled eggs and buttered his piece of toast. 

    After giving one of the chairs a longing look, Percy shifted to sit down on the floor, back to the wall and facing the kitchen. Percy was, as always, stuck on the floor.

    His mother came from their (his and Tyson’s bedroom) and bent to give Percy’s head a kiss. Tyson was trailing after her sleepily, rubbing his eyes. Tyson had decided to get up after all. 

    “Mom, would it be fine if I had another piece of toast?” Percy mumbled around a piece of bacon. She ruffled his hair, which had him grumbling and patting his hair down into place again.

    “Of course. Go ahead. But I have to leave now. I love you both and I'll see you later.” She patted Tyson’s hair after giving him a kiss, too. 

    They chorused their love back, Tyson mumbling his and waving with a meaty hand.

    Tyson got his own food and lowered himself to the floor, his back to the kitchen as he faced Percy.

    Percy essentially inhaled his food, licking his lips afterwards. He stood up and he grabbed another piece of toast and buttered it up before taking a large bite from it. In between eating it, he sipped from the glass of orange juice he’d poured earlier.

    This was around the time he knew his day would get worse. His stepfather came lumbering out of his own bedroom, wearing a bathrobe over torn and greasy clothing. Percy’s nose wrinkled a bit at the smell wafting from his stepfather, but he quickly polished off his toast and orange juice.

    His stepfather, Gabe, looked around with small, beady eyes as he scratched at the stubble on his chin.

    Gabe started to load up on food, taking three times the amount that Percy had.

    After a few minutes, Gabe’s eyes narrowed as he eyed his plate and then at the two boys, who hadn't greeted him.

    “There should be one more piece of toast here and there isn’t. Where is it?” Gabe ground out through what teeth he still had left.

    “Mom said I could take an extra piece of toast, so I had two.” Percy said, wiping his mouth a bit. Even if Tyson had taken it, Percy still would’ve said it had been him. 

    “Did she now? You didn’t clear this with me. You know that you’re supposed to. I run this house, kid, not you or your mother.” Gabe turned beady eyes on him, the full weight of that stare on him.

    “I-I didn’t have any desert last night, so I thought that maybe it would be okay to have another one.” Percy murmured and his gaze moved to stare at his feet.

    “Doesn’t matter whether or not you had desert. It all goes through me.”

    “Yes Ga - Dad.” Percy swallowed thickly, hoping his slip up had gone unnoticed. Gabe hated it when he wasn’t referred to as ‘Dad,’ even though he definitely wasn’t their biological father, thank all the gods for that.

    If the gods were listening, though, they didn’t do anything or showed any signs. As many times as Percy had thanked them for that and even prayed that they’d get away from him, he’d had no such luck at all.

    Percy didn’t want Tyson to possibly witness something that he shouldn’t, so Percy quickly rinsed off his dishes and put them into the dishwasher and then he did the same to Tyson’s upon seeing that he was done. Yanking him up by his hand, he said, “Come on, Tyson. Let’s get you dressed.” 

    “Okay,” he mumbled as he trailed after. Once they were in their bedroom again, Tyson spoke again, “Can I bring Rainbow to school today?”

    Percy picked up the horse from Tyson’s bed and started to tuck him into the backpack at the foot of his younger sibling’s bed. “Here we go. Just make sure that no one else sees him again, okay? We don’t want him to be taken away. It’ll make Rainbow very, very sad,” 

    Tyson was beaming and nodding enthusiastically as he stripped and then started to dress in what their mother had picked out. “Okay! Rainbow won’t be sad, make sure he stays hidden.”

    “Good. Because I’m sure Rainbow very much wants to stay with you.” Percy smiled and took a hairbrush from the nightstand they both shared and started to run it through his brother’s hair, carefully detangling it and making it look at least a bit more presentable.

    Once Tyson was ready to go, Percy ushered him out the front door, but not before he spotted the dark look he was getting from his stepfather. He just knew when he got back he was going to be in for it, especially as he’d blatantly ignored him to get Tyson ready. Percy wanted Tyson to at least be on his way for school already before it happened. 

    It was an hour later from when Percy had woken up and Tyson had to be there at the bus stop in fifteen, which was a good amount to be on time, since Tyson would be on the bus for an hour since they lived the farthest away from either school. Percy had enough time to walk back, grab his own things, only to leave again so he could wait for his own bus.

    They didn’t say much on the way to the bus stop; Tyson wasn’t really fully awake and Percy wouldn’t get much answers out of him until he really woke up. He was lucky that Tyson had spoken, granted it was about Rainbow.

    Their house was at the end of the road and the bus stop was at the other end where it opened up to the main road, which they headed for. Once getting there, Percy crouched in front of Tyson after rummaging in his pockets. He turned Tyson so his back faced him and he undid the front small pocket on the backpack and put money in it.

    “I’m going to put your lunch money right here, okay? Don’t lose it. Make sure that you keep your jacket on when you go outside, too. It’s supposed to get chillier later and you don’t want to catch a cold.” Percy zipped the pocket back up and patted it.

    “Okay, big brother,” Tyson mumbled as he huddled up in the jacket he was currently wearing, evidently already chilly.

    Percy worked around the neighborhood, shoveling snow in the winter months like now so he could have money to give to Tyson for lunch, as Gabe wouldn’t pack him one, though he told Mom he did. He didn’t get to keep a majority of the money for himself since Gabe insisted that his income they needed, but Percy managed to hide some away so Tyson could at least eat while in school. It didn’t matter much to Percy whether or not he did, so he could do without and wait until dinner.

    “Rainbow is right here behind your books, so be careful with him.” Percy reminded Tyson, who nodded.

    A minute later and Tyson was on the bus, waving goodbye to him. Waving back, Percy waited until the bus was out of sight before he briskly walked back home, stomach churning.

    If he took his time, it would only make Gabe angrier, so he might as well get this over this. If he was lucky he could away with a few minutes of beating and then be on his way to the bus with a few minutes left over.

    He braced himself before he walked through the front door, taking a deep breath before he walked inside, shutting the front door behind him. Percy closed his eyes for a moment as music started to blast from the radio. It was to keep any noises Percy made to be drowned out. It had been years since Percy learned his lesson to keep quiet.

_  Slowly turning around to face the back of the house, Percy stumbled back as his stepfather came after him and slammed a right hook into his gut, which caused the teenager to bend at the waist with a barely concealed whimper. Gabe took advantage of the reflex Percy had and slammed his knee into Percy’s face. Coughing and spraying blood from either his mouth or nose, Percy wiped at his face. Gabe slammed him down into the ground and he tried to scramble away which only earned him a swift kick to the side. _

    His instincts had him curling up as tightly as possible and covering his head and face from anymore damage, elbow attempting to keep his side from the same fate. Time seemed to pass by slowly, ticking away with each agonizing moment.

    Percy had learned to try and escape to the recesses of his mind until the worst was over. He imagined someone would take him away, that he had someplace safe to stay, or that maybe Child Protective Services would come and finally see that something wasn’t right. He’d run away once or twice and they’d carted him right back home and he got every beating worse than the last.

    In the back of his mind he had the vaguest idea that there was someone out there that he remembered that made this better. He remembered splotches of honey blonde. Each time the clouds in the sky were darker, it reminded Percy of something else that went with the honey blonde. It was a person, a girl, but beyond that, Percy couldn’t recall much or anything else. If he heard a voice, he could probably place who it was and maybe from when he knew this person.

    Trying to recall all that he could was what made it better. A sensation of fluttering in his stomach, a tightness in his chest. Whoever it was must have meant something to Percy. Any dreams that Percy had weren’t clear and he could never make out clear facial features because they changed. One night there would be high cheekbones and the next they were gentle in a feminine structure. He never knew which dream was showing him the correct images.

_  Percy was knocked back into reality when he took a heavy boot to the side of his head, arm throbbing from absorbing most of the impact. The words that Gabe was speaking finally began to register in his head. _

_     “You’re the most worthless piece of shit to ever walk this earth,” Gabe huffed and panted before continuing, “No one would want you as their son; I don’t even want you. You’re a plague to this family and you don’t belong.” Another well-placed boot to Percy’s side had it aching more and more; the pain finally beginning to register. _

_     Gabe bent down, grabbing Percy by his hair and lifting him up. Percy bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood, trying to keep a whimper in check. “But then again, who’s ever going to love something like  _ you _?” Percy’s arms immediately moved to cover his midsection and Gabe decided to punch him in his left cheek. _

    It was always the same. Percy was a pathetic excuse for a human being, a worthless son and no one would love him. He didn’t fit in anywhere. So, naturally, that begged the question, who would want him? It was what Percy tried to tune out because he knew it wasn’t true. Or, that’s what he tried to convince himself. He knew his mother loved him. That Tyson did. It showed in their actions.

    Percy’s mother knew about what was going on and had tried to stand up for him and she had paid the price for it, being beaten worse than Percy had been. He didn’t want to put his mother through that again, so he sucked it up and he suffered.

    Gabe dragged him up by his hair and he started to drag Percy towards his closed bedroom door, fishing a key out of his pocket. It was then that Percy realized Gabe had changed while he walked Tyson to the bus stop. Key in hand, Gabe opened his bedroom door and forced the teenager along.

    There was a closet off to Percy’s right and a master bathroom to the far left. They headed towards the closet and Percy felt fear thump around in his chest and battered against his bruised ribcage. 

    “Wait! I won’t do it again, I promise. J-just don’t put me -” Percy’s words were cut off when Gabe tugged roughly at his head to silence him and Percy yelped.

    Gabe shoved him into the closet after opening it. It was pretty spacious, but the thing that set it apart was the room that lie beneath it, the trapdoor leading to it was in the back of the closet, a padlock atop to ensure no one got in. Or out.

    Percy wanted to bolt, instincts in him telling him that this is what he should do. Fight or flight, but most of the fight had been beaten out of him. He watched, trembling, as Gabe unlocked the trapdoor and threw it back and it banged against the wall behind it; too afraid to try and actually run with every muscle paralyzed in his body. Percy was grabbed again and Gabe began to wrestle him down the stairs. It was a short flight, but Percy was very reluctant and it showed. Eventually, Gabe got so fed up with trying to wrangle him down that he shoved him. Percy fell forward and rolled down the stairs the rest of the way.

    Percy was more than a little dazed at this action. It wasn’t the first time he was pushed down the stairs and it didn’t make it any better. His eyes were beginning to adjust to the dimness of the room, only a lightbulb up top flickering and casting a cone of pale yellow light around the room.

    He realized too late what Gabe was doing when he was pulled along roughly towards the wall. Blinking owlishly, he realized there was a heavy feel around his neck and he glanced down. There was a metal collar around his neck and soon enough, a pair of shackles were placed around his wrists; the chains connecting to the concrete flooring. Percy started to struggle, unable to get to his full height because of the shackles that bound him. All three were chained to the ground, which made it harder.

    “You’ll be staying down here until I feel like you’re ready to come out.” Gabe muttered as he started back up the stairs.

    “Wait! You can’t just leave me here! Dad, please!” Percy shouted desperately.

    Gabe just laughed cruelly, the trapdoor slamming into place and he heard the lock clicking. Not that he could get out anyway. Percy whimpered as he was engulfed in a good amount of darkness, save for the cone of pale light. He didn’t want to be back down here. He’d been down here enough for the past ten years and it made him terrified. He was terrified of the dark, of closed spaces.

    Trying furiously to try and break free, the shackles chafed on his skin and they would be red and sore later. None of the chains were going to break. Percy tried to see if maybe there was rust somewhere on them, but he could feel the magic coming off of the chains and locks. A sorcerer or sorceress probably imbued them with magic a while back, ensuring they would never rust or break and to magically change to fit the neck and wrists of its victims.

    Eventually giving up, Percy sat down and took in his surroundings. It’d been a few years since he’d been down here and he still had nightmares about it. The place was also soundproof, so that made yelling for anything impossible when the door closed. Having music on drowned out any noises before then.

    It’d been here when their house had been bought and Gabe didn’t know what to use for. Until Percy had started calling him ‘Gabe’ and not ‘Dad,’ and he was punished for it that way. He hadn’t been kept here for a while, maybe a few hours alone. But to a child it had seemed like an eternity.

    Percy couldn’t help but be submissive because it had been beaten into him since Gabe came to live with them. At first it had been when his mother wasn’t around and then it started, after he’d been here the first time, in front of her. She’d tried to take Percy and run, but it’d gotten worse for him when Gabe caught them. It’d been Percy’s fault with being loud and clumsy on accident.

    It was a pretty spacious room. Maybe a bit smaller than that of a master bedroom. It was mostly bare aside from a rack lining the wall off to his left and a bucket behind him. Percy would use it to relieve himself. He’d only do that if he absolutely needed to. The rack lining the wall . . . it was full of things used to punish him. Mainly just different kinds of whips and then there was brass knuckles, pins that were meant to cause him a great deal of pain if left in for long periods of time. There might have been other things, but Percy didn’t want to see and they’d never been used on him, so he also couldn’t be sure. Well, Percy did know there was a few bands of fabric up there and there were made to constrict hard enough to where it would break or fracture bones.

    The good part was that Gabe was a bit heavy set which made it easier for him to tire. Percy didn’t have to endure physical punishments for long when he had to deal them himself. He’d get away with a few bruises then move on. But the added weight made the hits a little harder than possible.

    Deciding to try and inspect himself, Percy lifted his shirt and ran his fingertips along the ribs at his right side tenderly. They were sore and he didn’t think they were broken since he could breathe just fine, nor did they shift weirdly. They were tender to the touch, just not as bad as it could have been. Bruises were already starting to show up. They were on his side, his arm and Percy assumed maybe his hip or thigh. He knew his face would be bruised, if only a little. He would heal quicker than most people because of what he was. It was exactly that that made Gabe hate him so much.

    Percy was part of the supernatural world: a shapeshifter. His mother had said that Percy’s father was something, a horse maybe, except Percy wasn’t entirely sure because she wasn’t. In the world he lived in most of the supernatural beings were accepted and they could go to school with mortals with no problems. Unless of course you had a situation like Percy did. He had friends at school that knew what he was and he they. Like Grover, his best friend, who was also a shapeshifter and shifted into a goat. Bianca was a vampire and Rachel was a seer. Once he’d tried asking Rachel to read his future to see what would happen to him. It had been after a particularly bad beating that left him fighting for his life on his own a couple hours; his body wanted to give up on him after sustaining years of injuries - not wanting more that was sure to come. It was from back in the summer time. Percy was curious to see if he’d die at the hands of his stepfather eventually.

    Rachel hadn’t been able to tell him a thing because she couldn’t get a read on his future. Rachel figured it was because somewhere in the future his fate would be linked to a sorcerer or sorceress. The only problem with that was . . . Percy didn’t have anyone in his life that was either of them. Maybe somewhere along the line if Percy didn’t die first.

    Hours ticked away, or so Percy assumed, and he huddled up on the cold stone floor. He wanted to shift and he would have if it wasn’t going to be painful for him to do that now. Another thing about the shackles kept him from doing.

    Sometime ago the light bulb had blew out, so Percy tried to think of anything aside from the fact he was in the dark alone. Percy rocked in place while closing his eyes. He wanted to think about the person who kept invading his dreams. The one he could never get a clear look at. The one that soothed his raw and aching nerves; calming him with just those thoughts. Percy wasn’t even sure if she was real. For all he knew she was an imaginary person that his lonely self had made up when he was younger.

  
  
  
  
  


**     **     **

  
  
  


He wasn’t sure how much time had passed by the time the trapdoor was opened. He did know that he was woken up from his peaceful-ish nap. The floor, once warmed up, wasn’t so bad to sleep on. Percy just needed to remember to lay on his left side. The more he slept the quicker time passed and the quicker he could get out of here. It was getting harder and harder to rest, though, because his stomach was cramping horribly from hunger.

    “Come on, get up. You get to go to school now.” Gabe placed a firm kick to Percy’s side when he didn’t get up fast enough. Percy just didn’t want to wake up.

    Percy felt the weight fall away from his neck and wrists. They were sore, but he didn’t think they’d be red. Too slowly he got up because Gabe grabbed him by his hair and hauled him up to his feet.

    He trudged up the stairs in front of his stepfather with a bit back groan. He felt entirely too weak for this. He may have eaten as much as he could stomach, but it would never be enough. He was usually always starving. He hoped that Tyson had taken money; Percy showed him where to find it if he needed it for lunch.

    He’d been ordered to change clothes and he did eventually: putting on a long-sleeved blue shirt, another pair of faded jeans, and new socks. He put on the same sneakers he’d been wearing. Just before he was able to leave, Gabe shoved him against the wall. 

    “I told your mother you went to a friend’s house for a couple days. If she asks you about it, that’s what you tell her, you got it?” Gabe growled. 

    Percy nodded his assent. He just wanted to get away. With luck he’d be able to get Grover to give him something for him to munch on until he could, hopefully, have dinner. His mother didn’t know about the space in the her closet; she assumed the padlock had been put there before they moved in - the key lost. 

    Twenty minutes later and he was sitting on the bus; the only one so far. He sat in the very back and he was grateful that the bruise had actually faded from his face already, surprising as it would be to some. It hadn’t been very dark compared to his other bruises, almost nonexistent, which made it quicker to heal and fade. His others were steadily beginning to lighten.

    Grover was the last to get on the bus and he plopped down next to him with a groan. “You okay? You weren’t in school for three days. I was going to come check on you tonight if you weren’t here again.” 

    Percy was pretty sure he paled a shade or two. “I, uhm, I think had a mild stomach bug or something,” he thought quickly. “I was hugging the toilet for a good majority of the past two days and was passed out most of last night once I could get myself to stop puking.” He couldn’t believe he’d been put there for three days. No wonder he felt like he could start gnawing on Grover’s arm. Or maybe on one of his horns to distract himself. 

    “Yuck. You know, I heard that Nancy had that last week. Maybe you got it from her.” Grover’s nose wrinkled. 

    “I could have. I wouldn’t be surprised. She can’t keep her germs contained.”

    “You sure you’re good to come to school?”

    “Yeah, man. I’m good for now.” Percy tried to give him a convincing smile. He failed, judging by the look Grover was giving him.

    “Have Rachel call someone to bring you home or something if you need it. Just take it easy, yeah?” 

    Percy nodded. It wasn’t like he enjoyed lying to his friends so much if he missed school. But he wasn’t sure there was anything they could do. Rachel might’ve been able to do something if her father didn’t hate him. Bianca might be able to do something if her parents had met him. Grover’s family was relatively poor and Percy didn’t want to put him through that. He didn’t want to worry any of them.

    The first half of the day had passed in something like a blur. He didn’t even hear most of what had been taught. The only thing he remembered was giving his teachers’ the same lame excuse he’d given his best friend. Percy was getting progressively weaker and weaker by the minute and he didn’t have the energy to care too much anymore. Not at the moment, at least.

    It was when he was walking to lunch that he stumbled and almost crashed to the ground. He would have, too, if not for the fact that Grover caught him. Percy instinctively wanted to cringe away from the touch, but at the same time, he instinctively clutched at Grover to keep himself from going down.

    Now he was really tempted to gnaw on one of Grover’s horns. All he had to do was flatten his curly brown hair. Rachel moved up beside him, scowling and crossing her arms over her chest. Her fiery red hair was pulled back into a bandana that was . . . colourful to say the least. The jacket she had on was covered in paint splatters and the jeans she wore had penned drawings. Rachel might be rich, but she enjoyed this school too much to go anywhere. 

    “Whoa! What's wrong with you? Are you still not feeling well? We can -” 

    “No, no. I'm okay, really.” Percy started to straighten himself, ignoring the stares he got. 

   “Percy, you said you were sick and you've been throwing up. Have you eaten anything since then?” Rachel inspected his face carefully. 

    Percy shook his head, having not eaten, feigning the fact he couldn’t keep anything down. He was trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his side from when Grover had grabbed him.

   “I can’t eat until later when I get dinner. Really, it’s no big deal. I'll wait it out.” Percy tried for another convincing smile as he stalked off briskly to the cafeteria.

    Percy sat outside, in a little open air area with benches just outside the back of the cafeteria. Grover joined him with two trays of food, presumably his own and Rachel’s. Percy didn’t question him; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d carried it out for her. He laid his head on the table and closed his eyes, arms wrapped around his stomach and desperately wishing the noises wouldn’t get any louder than a low rumble.

    Six minutes or so later, something was dropped in front of him gently, startling Percy from his half-somnolent state. He blinked up at Rachel who then pointed to a tray in front of him.

    “Eat, Percy. And don’t tell me I didn’t have to. While it’s true, I also care about the way you take care of yourself. If you haven’t eaten anything for the past couple days, it’s best to eat something now if you think you can stomach it. Judging by the stares you’ve been giving food when we walked in, I’d say you’re able to stomach it.” Rachel sat down on his right, Grover on his left. Grover handed Rachel her tray and was almost finished with his own food.

    Looking down, Percy was still surprised to find a sandwich and some french fries. It wasn’t an overly big thing, but he had to blink back tears. He knew Grover would’ve only had enough money for himself and the same for Rachel, so she could’ve caused a scene or threatened someone just to get this. The people in the cafeteria didn’t exactly do handouts. You either paid or brought your own lunch; unless you left for it, which some did.

    “Thank you, Rachel,” Percy smiled to her in genuine gratitude as he dug into his sandwich and fries. He noticed she had also gotten him a bottle of water and his mouth suddenly felt too dry. He paused halfway through eating to uncap it and drink three large mouthfuls eagerly.

    He’d never eaten or drank anything so fast before as he did then. He didn’t quite feel full as he would’ve liked, but it was good enough and he was grateful for what he  _ had _ been given. It’d be good to hold him over until dinner, which he hopefully would get to have. Gabe didn’t say anything about it, so there was a little bit of hope to be allowed. 

    Grover was the first to finish, then he, and then Rachel. Soon enough they were all able to go back and finish up their day. Percy still didn’t pay much attention to what was being taught. At least this time he wasn’t too weak and starved to care. He just didn’t care, plain and simple. He wanted a nice nap. To stay outside, maybe, and feel the sun on his face until nighttime. He wasn’t thrilled with the night that would come since he’d spent probably two days in nothing but a darkened room.

    He’d just waved a goodbye to Bianca, seeing her at the end of the day, when he and Grover were getting back on the bus. A smell itched at his nose a bit and he inhaled deeply a few times. It smelled near heavenly with almost metallic undertones. It smelled kind of earthy with a sweet edge.

    Percy didn’t know who it was coming from and yet it made his heart flutter in his chest. It made him want to shift to seek out where that smell was coming from.

    It was while they were driving down the street when Percy spotted a glimpse of blonde hair out of his peripheral vision. Head snapping up, he tried to swivel in his seat to look back. He’d failed to see anything aside from the glinting of blonde because they turned a corner and whoever it was went out of his sights. 

    There was an all girls school across the street from his own; it had to have been someone from there. Percy just never paid much attention because most of them already had vehicles and such. He found himself hoping that tomorrow he could catch that same glimpse. He also just transferred to this school about three months ago, though Grover and Rachel had already been his friends. He just hadn’t been caring about the school across from the street because half of the time he was in too much pain.

    But tomorrow, he’d try to see if he could find that source. He’d pay attention this time. No matter how much pain was still lingering in him. 

* * *

 


	2. Stay? No Thanks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. I took forever to update this one and I greatly apologize for it. I had no idea where I wanted to take this fully and then it finally came to me - mostly. I hope to have a more regular schedule, catching up on the ones I should really update (since another has been using a majority of my focus).

* * *

Before Grover got off the bus he made Percy promise that he would eat something later when he got home. Percy didn’t have a choice but to promise because Grover clearly wasn’t going anywhere until he did; missing his stop or not. He’d walk himself back home, he didn’t care. He wanted to make sure Percy was well-fed and cared for. He hated to worry his friend like this, but he didn’t want to worry him anymore by burdening him with the knowledge that Percy was being abused and Grover couldn’t really do a thing.

    Tyson was waiting for him at the bus stop as he habitually did, looking around in worry until Percy came into sight. When Percy did, Tyson ran to him and threw himself at his big brother, all but sobbing out his words, “Dad said you went to a friend’s house, but I know you didn’t. You never said anything to me or Mama. I knew he was lying, I just knew it.”

    Percy carried his brother down the street all the while cooing to and bouncing him gently. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m back in your sights now, Tyson,” he had to resist the urge to cringe as Tyson threw all of his bodyweight against Percy’s still-healing bruises.

    Tyson was sniffling grossly and getting snot all over Percy’s shirt, though he didn’t bring it up. It would’ve upset Tyson even more. Truth be told, he didn’t care all that much. When he wanted down he wiggled in his brother’s grasp who then set him down. Tyson quickly clung to Percy’s hand, hiccupping while walking with him. It warmed Percy’s heart and negated all of the horrid things Gabe had told him and tried to force him to believe. It was hard not to believe it to some degree, though.

    What happened next was something that had Percy seeing red. He was livid and shaking with the need to tear into things. He’d smiled at Tyson when he spotted a bruise on the young boy’s nape, up over his shirt. Percy’s heart stuttered in his chest. Tugging his brother to a stop he reached down and he gently tugged the collar of his shirt down. There were black and blue bruises all down his spine and shoulders.

    “Tyson, what the he - what happened?” He inspected the bruises more, hands lifting away fabric as carefully as possible and still he winced and whined. He swiftly checked under the shirt and a majority of his back was bruised.

    Tyson said nothing.

    “ _Tyson_ . You _will_ tell me what happened and you’ll do it now,” Percy said forcefully with the undertones of care and concern. Tyson shook at the tone but it wasn’t out of fear for himself. It was out of fear for Percy.

    If Tyson told on him then he’d take it out on Percy, he had been warned against it. But when his big brother asked him a question he wasn’t going to lie. He didn’t want to lie to one of the people that’d always been there for him; caring for him.

    Big brown eyes were watery in an instant. “H-he told me that I can’t tell. He’ll hurt big brother more,”

    Crouching in front of Tyson, Percy gently grabbed his arms. “It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about me. You can tell me what happened,”

    “I left my toys out on the couch by accident. H-he told me to clean them up and I didn’t get to it fast enough. He kept hitting me in my back until I cried for you. He made an ugly face at me and t-told me if I s-said anything he’d hurt big brother,”

    “When did this happen? Don’t worry about me; you can come to me with anything. You know that,” Percy said gently before placing a kiss to his little brother’s forehead. Tyson leaned in before clutching at Percy’s shirt desperately.

    “After school on Monday,” Tyson whimpered softly and Percy’s jaw clenched.

    “Okay. When we get home I want you to take a shower okay? Or take a bath and play some music. You can use my iPod. Let it relax your muscles,” Percy said tenderly while he smiled in a parental manner. Tyson nodded his assent. He trusted his big brother more than anything.

    They had half of the walk to go, each clutching at the other’s hands in a near death grip. Why had Gabe done this to Tyson? Percy always made sure that Tyson wouldn’t have to suffer the way he did. He took the beatings for Tyson. He put up with it for him and his mother. But with Tyson already suffering Percy knew that it wasn’t going to stop. Not by a long shot. It wouldn’t stop until someone put an end to it. What could Percy do, though? There was always a call to Child Services, but with Percy there Gabe could blame it on him and get away scott free. No, Percy couldn’t allow that.

    Looking to his little brother who had a happy smile on his face it pained Percy to think that the best course of action was for him to leave. He needed to make that call but Percy didn’t want to be there to make it. He could risk Tyson by going or staying, but he couldn’t do nothing. Nothing had been done for him. He couldn’t allow it to continue. Since Tyson was smaller and younger maybe they would take it more seriously. But Gabe needed to be in too much pain in order to go after Tyson, so what did that leave Percy to do?

    His answer came to him as he was walking and his rage got stronger and stronger. Around this time Gabe normally took his naps. He wouldn’t expect Percy to do the things he had in mind and maybe it would throw him off his scent. With luck, Percy had somewhere to stay for the next few nights and could get away with it. His mother wouldn’t be home for another hour or two, so he had time.

    As they got home, Percy stayed as quiet as he could; his predatory instincts making him silent with ease. Once Tyson was stripped and in the tub, music playing at a decent volume from speakers, Percy debated on dumping everything out of his backpack before deciding otherwise. If they found out he had left in a hurry it would rouse more suspicion and that couldn’t be his risk. He packed a few things, a couple changes of clothes and pajamas, and shoved them into his bag before zipping it up. Before he left the room, he wrote Tyson a note and set it under Rainbow’s collar. It would crinkle when he hugged the toy. It explained that Percy was sorry, but he was going to help Tyson. Percy promised he would be safe and sound, that Gabe soon wouldn’t be able to hurt either of them again. But he asked Tyson not to tell anyone that Tyson had seen him, that he’d never been home to begin with. He knew Tyson would lie for him, hoping he could do it well.

    Placing his bag by the backdoor Percy crept to his stepfather’s room, using his sleeve over his hand to open the door. His prints were never on the door and he wasn’t about to start that now. It was a force of habit. He was told he was never allowed in and his instincts were telling him this was a bad idea. Stop now while he had a chance. Take everything back and just deal with it.

    There was Tyson to think about. He would take all the beatings until his body gave up. He wouldn’t allow that to happen to Tyson, who would have been beaten into submission and his spirit dampened. He didn’t want Tyson to live in fear. It wouldn’t happen. Not as long as he lived. Not as long as he could do something about it and maybe get away with it.

    Seeing those bruises on Tyson made Percy remember why else he was doing this. He couldn’t let it continue. His stepfather was sleeping on his stomach and Percy bit back a growl. That was the last test of his restraint and he leapt at his stepfather’s back and just started whaling down the punches wherever he could, uncaring of where they landed.

    Gabe had never felt Percy’s hands on him, would never recognize the feeling. This worked in Percy’s favour and due to the fact that he wasn’t making a sound, biting his lip so hard to keep them from pouring from him. He had to adjust himself constantly so Gabe never got a look at him, one hand holding his head down and against the mattress to make it easier. If Gabe looked at him Percy would lose his nerve; would drop to his knees on the floor in fear and plead that his punishment wouldn’t last long. It had been beaten into him from a young age. Never challenge the alpha. Always behave. Always do as you were told. Cower in fear and respect and do it without complaint.

    Percy unleashed years of pain and fear as he let his hands fly, occasionally needing both as Gabe undoubtedly still felt his touch even if his hand disappeared for a moment. He couldn’t help himself. He was angry. He was upset. Displeased. Hopeless. Worthless. What good was he if even Gabe didn’t want him around? What good was he if Gabe took out his anger on a teenager that didn’t want to feel pain? He just wanted a fully loving family where he wouldn’t get beat. Where he could feel all the love in the world. Where he could stop being afraid of most touches.

    When Gabe threw an elbow at his hip Percy was brought back to the here and now. He wasn’t a child who was crying and pleading to stop being in pain, he was a teenager beating up on an abuser as he slept. Percy couldn’t be sorry. He _couldn’t_. There was no way. With a final punch to Gabe’s face he turned and quickly raced out of the bedroom, sleeve over his hand again as he slammed the door shut. He overturned chairs and the kitchen table carefully, hard enough to be believable, but low enough to where Tyson wouldn’t be alerted to anything. He jumped onto the back of the couch, his weight tipping it back with a crash. He raced to the back door, grabbed his backpack before he was outside and into the small patch of woods behind his house. He didn’t wait for anything else and instead he ran through the woods silently, knuckles aching and sore. He prayed that Gabe would be in too much pain to care too much. He probably wouldn’t even call the police if it looked like the place was ransacked, even haphazardously. But it was the best the distraught teen could come up with that just might work.

    Even with lungs that ached and burned he kept running until he made it into town and most people who saw him in their backyards wouldn’t be able to make anything out before he was gone all too soon. When he got into town he rummaged around in his pocket before pulling out change.

    He dialed the number for the police and pitched his voice lower and gruffer, edging a growl and he made his voice frantic, trying not to let it be noticeable he’d been panting from his run. “I’m a neighbor of the Ugliano’s, you have to hurry. I heard crashing and there’s music playing. I know that there’s a little boy that lives there. I think they were robbed,” and Percy rattled off the address before he hung up.

    Digging out more change as a just in case he waited. He counted to ten before he punched in the number for Child Services and waited with bated breath. With the same voice he said in an even more urgent tone when the line picked up, “There’s a little boy on my street, about eight or so. Earlier today I greeted him and I saw bruising on his neck. When I tried to get him to show me he backed away fearfully. I think he’s being abused. I don’t know for how long, but you must help him before it’s too late,” again, Percy rattled off the address before hanging up. It took another ten seconds before he thought to wipe down the receiver, buttons, and telephone handle carefully so he didn’t miss it in case they traced the call to this booth. He tried to cover it up if he seemed suspicious by rubbing his face and hunching up, acting like he was trying to warm up before he headed back out again, hiding what he had been doing with these actions.

    He walked leisurely down the sidewalk, forcing himself not to run when a couple cop cars sped past him and he looked to see where they were going, as people so often did. He tried to keep his head up, fighting the urge to hide and duck. He couldn’t lose it now. He just couldn’t. He could get taken back to Gabe. Even though his claims were true, he could get booked on an assault charge. He could lie and say it was self-defense but if he got caught it was likely he’d be digging a deeper hole that he couldn’t crawl out of.

    Percy tried to think about which of his friends lived closer to him. He actually didn’t know where Bianca lived since he hadn’t been there. Rachel’s father hated his guts for whatever reason. (He didn’t have many friends.) Grover was probably his best bet. Did he dare wait now or until much later? His mother would rush home and call Grover first to see if he was there. She probably wouldn’t even wait before she got home and the police would most likely contact her after arriving there. He prayed with every bone in his entire body that something was done this time. It couldn’t end up like last time.

    It was a league trek to Grover’s house and Percy headed that way. It was around four and it would probably take him a good three hours to get there if he alternated between running and walking. He dug out his gloves from his backpack and put them on, wincing at the soreness in his hands. He’d done damage to them, but he couldn’t let anyone see them. It was a big risk going to Grover’s house, the police might visit him and ask questions. Percy didn’t know what else to do. He could be there with the police, but they might cart him back home and Percy didn’t want that.

    Stopping in his tracks he paused, teeth worrying at his lower lip. Was this a smart move? If he went to school they’d find him there. At home they’d find him. At Grover’s home, even. How could he play this to where he wasn’t going to look suspicious? How _did_ he play this? On his way to Grover’s house he kept going over it in his head.

    He could say that before he left this morning he packed his bag, but forgot to ask Grover and forgot to bring it up while on the bus Instead of going home he made way for Grover’s house, stopped for a bite to eat on a corner store that he didn’t bother to look at the name of. That he had wanted to stay with Grover on Monday, but he couldn’t because he was sick. He didn’t bother to call because his mother was the only one with a cell and she was working. Nodding his head to himself he hoped desperately this was going to work. But what would happen if they tried to get him back? His mother didn’t know Grover’s address and if he’d told Gabe he probably didn’t even remember it even if he told his mother he had been to the place before. He might have to leave school before the cops showed up to it tomorrow. But he had most classes with Grover. If he slipped out he’d look suspicious.

    He kept hitting brick walls and it made him growl in frustration. If he didn’t show up somewhere where did that leave him then? Would Gabe even say anything about Percy or be glad he was “missing”? His mother would say something, but if they found Gabe guilty then they would take care of him and scour every inch of his hometown for Percy until he turned up.

    In an alley, Percy leaned against a wall, sighing softly. What had he gotten himself into without thinking everything through first and instead he went out on a limb in a fit of rage? Mostly. He just couldn’t let Tyson become like Percy. Percy wasn’t brave or strong. He wasn’t courageous. He ran from things. He was running even now. Instead of staying and battling through it he ran. He didn’t have any proof that something would be done. If he went back, Gabe would beat him until he cracked. He would break his bones and not care if it ruptured something that Percy needed and would die within minutes, hours, or days.

    The young shifter didn’t realize it, but he’d broken down and started to cry out his heart with soft, heart-wrenching sobs that shook his shoulders. He just wanted everything to get better, even though he knew the reality that it wouldn’t be that way. The reality was was that no one had helped him and now he was putting himself in the line of fire because he wanted someone, anyone, to pay attention to his brother. He knew from experience that it wouldn’t stop. At first Gabe had told him that he wouldn’t do it again. He should’ve asked if he’d told Tyson that. If he had, he could’ve had some sort of evidence. It wouldn’t have lived up to someone else’s expectations; they’d be skeptical.

    How do you miss the signs of someone being abused? How were you so ignorant towards it? Percy grabbed fistfuls of his hair and tugged in every direction. He didn’t know what he was going to do next. He really didn't know what he was going to do. How he was going to get through this. Did he even bother? Maybe he should stay away from everyone until things blew over, keep an eye on TV if possible if it even made it that far. He wouldn't know he was being looked for.

Did he dare go to school to try and look for Bianca? He knew her father was a lawyer. Maybe if he teamed up with him something would come of it. He wouldn't have to worry so much.

    Steeling his nerves, Percy set himself off for Grover’s house again. He would come clean to Grover and beg him not to say anything, to not say he saw him. He needed Grover on his side and if he got to Bianca’s father, he hoped that the man wasn't too busy. He didn't even know what cases the man handled. Even if he knew someone else that could help.

    With a plan in place he kept going, staying off the main roads as much as possible even if no one was looking for him. It might not have been the best plan, but it was the only thing he had right now.

    All throughout his walking he tried to turn off his mind for a while. Those same thoughts floated around his head again and again; refusing to give him peace.

    It was nightfall by the time he reached Grover’s place. He lived in an apartment complex on the second floor and you had to be buzzed in. Luckily, this wasn't the first time Percy was here and didn't want to be buzzed in (his father had a rule of no one being there when he wasn't around) and usually Grover let him know if he had to sneak or something. It was different since he was showing up uninvited this time. Grover’s father worked nights, but had said no one was allowed in his apartment aside from his son and was to be alerted if anyone tried.

    Around the back was a tree that led up to the third floor alone. He bent his knees and jumped higher than any mortal, snagging a branch before he shimmied himself up. He carefully skirted around the trunk before edging on a branch that was just thick enough to hold his weight. Percy tapped on the window, mimicking a tree when it was windy. When nothing happened, Percy waited ten minutes before knocking again. It occurred to Percy they could find Grover anyway by searching for him through a database. If Percy was, by chance, lucky then he had just missed them or they were here hours ago.

    This time around Percy heard a slight noise from within before Grover came into view and then wrenched the window open.

    “Percy, what are you doing?” Grover hissed to him. “The police were here looking for you. I leave you alone for four hours or so and you get into trouble!” He was yelling in a whisper at Percy.

    What Grover seemed to notice was that Percy flinched and wiggled back on the branch he had seated himself on.

    Grover’s tone changed to concern, “Are you okay? It’s cold out here, come on. My dad isn't home,” Grover reached out to Percy who glanced to the offered hand. He had already tested his limits today and he couldn't help that he was reverting to his more submissive side. He could hide it most days at school.

    Percy had his eyes downcast as he slowly inched closer. So the police had already been here looking for him. There was that at least. No one else would have seen him.

    “I can come in? Are you sure?” Percy was biting his lip again. He was fairly cold already and with it brought up it registered even more.

    “Of course. Come on in, man,” Grover nodded while pulling back from the window to allow him when it became apparent Percy wasn’t going to take his hand.

    Crawling inside Percy huddled on the floor, shivering lightly. Grover took a small blanket he had and wrapped it around his friend’s shoulders, who initially flinched at the contact. Percy was tired of hiding. Tired of putting on an act.

    “Have you eaten anything?” His friend’s flinching and submission didn't go unnoticed. Percy shook his head. “My father had a party a couple days ago . . . There might still be some stew in the fridge. If not there's cheese enchiladas. Is that good?”

    Percy nodded again. “Yeah, that's fine.”

    Grover came back five minutes later or so with a bowl of stew that had Percy’s mouth watering and his stomach growling loudly in complaint. Grover sat down in front of him, offering Percy the bowl. Percy took it but he hesitated before he dug in. When he was with others he was supposed to wait until they started to eat; he couldn't. Not this time. If he was alone for a bit then he was free to start eating.

    Grover was waiting patiently and when Percy had finished inhaling his food he had a pained look on his face. Grover held out his hands again, this time in askance for the bowl. “Here, why don’t I get you another bowl? Afterwards you can curl up in my bed or something,”

    While Percy’s friend did that he couldn’t help the tingling sensation that coursed through him, more so at his head and lower back. He wanted a partial change for the time being.

    Eventually he inhaled the second bowl just as quickly as the first before sipping at a glass of water he’d been given. After draining more than half of the glass Percy had collected himself enough to talk.

    “Thank you,” he gave his friend a smile. “Grover . . . I want to tell you something,” Grover listened intently, nodding as he moved closer to Percy to be by his side, the latter of which who tensed for the barest of instances before relaxing.

    With a shaky breath, Percy came clean to his friend. He confessed to him that his stepfather beat him from a young age. He went on to tell him about the secret room in his mother’s closet that was used as a punishment room and that Percy wasn’t sick since Monday; he’d been in that room. That he was really weak from hunger because he hadn’t been allowed to eat while he was down there (at least there was water in there, it helped the hunger) and that after the bus he saw Tyson. He saw the bruises on Tyson who then confessed to Gabe having beat on him, too. How Percy beat his stepfather in a fit of rage as he slept because he kept picturing Tyson in pain, no one to help him. Percy had ran, staging it to look like a burglary, calling the cops and pretending to be a neighbor, calling Child Services and telling there was a child being abused and that he didn’t know how much longer the kid would hold out for. That he had an idea of getting to Bianca’s father because he was a lawyer that could potentially help him in the end, without him getting into too much trouble, and then admitting that Percy hated that no one had taken him from that place when he was younger. The young shifter just couldn’t stand to be in the house anymore, he was a coward. But he knew that after the police were gone that, in pain or not, then Gabe would come after him. Gabe always came after him. He should’ve worried more about Tyson and his mother, but he also hoped that the police would take it seriously, finding Tyson with the bruises and the child saying no one had bothered him at all and just as confused as ever.

    Percy couldn’t help his rambling, not even sure if his friend was understanding most of what he said. By the end of it he was another sobbing mess, lifting his shirt to show Grover the healing bruises at his right side before showing the darkening bruises as his knuckles, hands shaking terribly.

    He finished it with, “Please, please, don’t tell anyone. I’m still going to go to Bianca, I’ll get to her tomorrow. I don’t know exactly why the police were here, but I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to die because of a beating gone wrong,” Percy couldn’t help he was crying again. The tears just kept coming without his approval.

    Grover was horrified for his friend, that he’d gone through all this on his own. There were times where he thought that maybe his home life was bad, just not this bad. His friend, who he’d always seen smiling and laughing, was crying, hair sticking up and eyes reddening by the minute. Putting his hands up slowly, the goat shifter moved closer.

    “It’s all right, Percy. I won’t tell. You can stay here as long as you want.” He put his arms around his friend, who tensed before leaning into him.

    It was when Grover started to pet Percy soothingly that he tried to relax. After he’d calmed down Percy realized that he was exhausted, eyelids fluttering to a close. He didn’t realize that he was snuggling into his friend, either, who didn’t mind.

    “Why don’t you lay in bed, okay? You can sleep for a while and I’ll take the floor,” Grover suggested, trying to pull his friend up only to see he was already fast asleep. Grover wasn’t sure what to think that his friend had roughed someone up. He couldn’t fault him. He was instead glad that Percy had come to him. He wasn’t going to tell unless he never got to Bianca; Grover would go to Bianca himself if he needed to and talk to her.

  
  
  


**     **     **

  
  
  


The next morning Percy found himself in Grover’s bed and his friend nowhere to be found. In a panic he lunged from the bed and whirled around.

    Grover came in when Percy was looking for his backpack, madly motioning for his friend to keep it down. He whispered to him, “My dad just got home. He's sleeping now. Don't make too much noise, okay?”

    Percy stopped what he was doing, nodding. “O-okay,”

    “Your spare toothbrush is where it always is and there's a new towel in the bathroom for you. I imagine you want to catch a shower before we leave?” Percy was grateful his friend offered it for him.

    After showering and brushing his teeth, Grover gave Percy a granola bar and apple; he ate the latter first and decided to save the former. He left the same way he'd come in.

    Throughout the day it was easier to focus on school. Grover barely left his side for anything and even shared half of his lunch. He didn't say anything to Rachel. Didn't give cues or clues. He was trying hard to make it seem like nothing was amiss. It seemed to fool people since no one suspected anything. Not a peep from anyone.

    After lunch he and Grover had to split due to different classes and on the way to his locker he passed by the principal’s office, a scent stopping him in his tracks, nose twitching. It was a smell he had been recently reacquainted with.

     _Gabe_.

    Gabe was here with his mother and brother. If they were here, did that mean that nothing had worked? They weren't taking it seriously?

    He wasn't going to go back. Not if it meant that once again no one had done what they were supposed to. In seven months he would be eighteen and he could legally be on his own; no one to drag him back. With more luck he could tough it out until then. He could do something. Somehow. Possibly.

    Going to his locker he put all his books into it. He didn't plan on coming back and he would have to find some other way to get to Bianca. They might go back to Grover; it wouldn’t be safe for a while.

    Shouldering his backpack Percy headed out the school as everyone filed into their appropriate classrooms.

    He needed to find a place to sleep that would be acceptable. Wandering around town gave him the perfect opportunity to do such a thing. Most were out at work or at school and so that left a little amount of people who were going to stop and question him.

    Eventually Percy found himself far, far away from his home and from Grover’s. He spotted a park that looked like it hadn't been used in years with a newer one that was across the road. This would be fine enough for him to stay. He passed by other teenagers who looked like they’d been on the streets for more than half of their lives.

    What Percy would fail to see for the next week was that he was being watched by the very person he had tried to see better.

    Over the course of the next week Percy settled into a routine. He slept in a child’s tube in the rundown park from first nightfall to first daylight. He went out and he scavenged for food, storing what things that he could. He stole blankets if he could find them to keep warm. He stayed clear of the others, keeping to himself. He needed to survive and he found it was easier to do than he thought. His park was full of crumpling, rotting wood from bridges; cracked tubes and slides; rusted chains and pipes from the swing; the netted area was torn and hanging. The grass was mostly dead and overgrown to being mid-thigh high.

    Over the course of six days a girl with blonde hair followed him and tried to get a look at where he was going only to eventually lose him when Percy felt he was being watched. But it wouldn't be until the seventh day before she found him to try and reason with him. The same girl he saw in his dreams and the same one he often caught himself questioning the validity of her existence.

* * *

 

[This](http://amusewithinme.tumblr.com) is my Tumblr, which I have been using to post sneak peaks of upcoming chapters a few days before finishing them. For all intents and purposes. Should you follow, I will gladly do so in return. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me some love new/old readers. (Feel free to yell at me for taking too long.)


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